Schemer (Android)

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CNET Editors' Rating

The GoodSchemer for Android has simple navigation and a nifty map view.

The BadCan't change privacy settings from app. No Accomplices page.

The Bottom LineIf you're interested in keeping a public list of your aspirations in life, then check out Schemer. It even provides a quirky and fun way of connecting with others who might have similar aspirations.

8.5 Overall

Installation and Setup10.0

Features and Support7.0

Interface8.0

Performance10.0

Review Sections

Schemer helps you keep track of the things you want to do or achieve in life. Whether you're planning to dine at a Michelin-rated restaurant sometime soon or you're dreaming of hiking to Machu Picchu one day, the idea is to record your aspirations publicly on Schemer and connect them to your Google account. This way, you can connect with other users with similar aspirations, and possibly get inspired by new aspirations that you stumble upon. Understandably, "scheming" in public might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who are into this sort of thing, the Schemer app can be a fun and addicting novelty.

While Schemer's interface is not particularly attractive, it is simple to navigate, with everything bucketed into three categories: Schemes, Activities, and Profile. If you want to search for a scheme by keyword or add a new scheme of your own, you can do so from anywhere within the app, using the respective buttons always at the top of the screen.

The Schemes tab is essentially your main dashboard. Here you can see what sorts of schemes are brewing nearby, search for schemes, or browse through schemes by category. You can even pull up schemes in a map view, which can be helpful if you're looking for, say, restaurants to try in San Francisco. The map won't be helpful, though, if you're looking for schemes that aren't location-related. If you come across any schemes that you want to add to your own list, the app makes it easy to do so, with a single tap.

Of course, while you're poking around and checking out the schemes of others, they're likely checking out your schemes as well. If this makes you feel uneasy, you can always change your privacy settings on the Web. You can't do so from the mobile app, though, which is disappointing. In addition to global privacy settings, in future iterations of the app, I'd to see the capability to mark individual schemes private as well.

Jaymar Cabebe covers mobile apps and Windows software for CNET. While he may be a former host of the Android Atlas Weekly podcast, he doesn't hate iOS or Mac. Jaymar has worked in online media since 2007.
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